A modified assay for the enumeration of ascaris eggs in fresh raw sewage

Abstract

Soil-transmitted helminths (STHs) pose a significant public health problem, infecting approximately 2 billion people globally. Despite relatively low prevalence in developed countries, the removal of STHs from wastewater remains crucial to allow the safe use of biosolids or recycled water for agriculture. Wastewater helminth egg count data can contribute to an assessment of the need for, or success of, a parasite management program. Although the World Health Organisation (WHO) has recommended a standard method for counting helminth eggs in raw sewage based on the method of Bailenger (Ayres et al., 1996), the method generally results in low percentage egg recoveries. Given the importance of d..